Braiding machine



July 1, 1947. c. M. BELLG BRAIDING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1945 2 Sheets-sheaf l I IN V EN TOR. Chow/Zed M11 AITTOHNEY July 1, 1947. c, BELLG 2,423,288

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JQTMQNEY Patented July 1, 1947 @UN. rr ED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 1 This invention relates to improvements in braiding machines ofithe type used for producing wovenitubularsleeving or applying wr'ap'pings in woven form on'elect'rical conductors. i

it is a primary object of the invention to pro- Which is adapted forfoperation' at a high rate of speed.

In braiding machines of the usual type and construction, the alternate braid'er'tubesor' bobbins tion with the turret I9 through gearing includin vide a braiding machine of simplified'c'onstruction moving in opposite directions arecau'sedto'iollow serpentine paths thus rotatingar'ound each other, and producing an over and under relation of the strands in thewoven sleevilng. This requires intricate gear mechaniminbrdiafto transfer the tube carriers from an inner to an outerlposition radially of the machine. This ty e of movement produces considerable strain in 'themechanism which limits the speedof'rotation at which the machine may be safely" operated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a braiding machine embodying the novel feature of moving one set of strand carrying tubes continuously in a circular path.'

Other objects and features of novelty will become apparent during the'course' of the following description.

, A braiding machine embodying the present invention is illustrated in 'theacco'mpanying draw- 1 i which I H H I A Figure 1 is an'eleva tional view of the braiding machine;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the driving'mechanisintaken "substantially on the line 2- -2 of Figure 1;

- li'igure 3 is a plan view of the braiding turret with certain parts being shown in section;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the turret taken on line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional'view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure3.

flhe present invention resides mainl in a novel braider mechanism included in a turret head indicated generally in Figure 1 ofthe drawings by' the numeral I0. The turret provides support for a plurality of braider tubes II or bobbins and is rotatably mounted on 'ace'ntral column- I2 formed on abaseinember m. Associated with the base I3 is an upwardly extending support I4 which carries at its upper end 'a take-up IE or bull wheel.

The bull Wheel is mounted with its periphery in alignment with the axial center line of the turret wand is adapted to apply and maintain tension on the braided material as it is fabricated.

The wheel I5 is driven in suitable timed relaa worm gear I6 indicated in broken lines on the wheel I5 which meshes with a wormd mounted on the upper end of a shaft I3 journalled' on the upright member It. The lowerend of the shaft I3 is'connected through mitergears Iii with a horizontally disposed shaft 20 which is driven by means of worm and gear connection 2I' with the turret drive mechanism shown in'Figure 2 and soon to be described in detail;

Referring now't'o Figures 3, 4 and 5, the turret I 6 comprises inner and outer ringinembersfi and 26 respectively journalledf o'r rotationon the column l2 and an intermediate ring member 21 mounted'betweenthe rings 25 and Rand also journalled on the column I2" for rotation in the direction opposite to that of the inner and outer rings. This will become apparent presently."

The rings '25 and 26 rotate in acourit'erclock- Wise direction indioated'by'ail'ows on Figure 3and together carrvone-hali "of the braider tubes or bobbins I I and a like numberof'tubeslla are carried bythe intermediate ring 21 which rotates in the opposite dir'ection.

" The inner ring member 25 includes a hubSU, a radialbase flange 3I having'aii upstanding" rim 32 terminating iii a radial horizontally disposed surface 33 onwhich the tubes I I are carried. The outer member'zs includes a hub 31a base flange 36 and an upstanding r msiwhicn terminates in a radially inwardly extending surface 38 which is aligned with the surface 33. The 's'u r'faces are spaced apart to provide a'circularpassage 39, the purpose of which willbecome apparent presently.

The intermediate 'ring' member 2? also is provided with a hub 48 disposed between the hubs 3b and 35. A radial base flange H formed on the hub provides support forQan annular seriesrof tube wells 42 in which tubes Ila, of braider yarn are carried. An annular plate at adjacent the upper end of the wells on the ring ,2? is disposed immediately below the surfaces 33 and 138,]of the rings 25 andiliand is providedwith acoutinuous cam groolvefifihj The cam is 'oi serpentine or undulating iormation and passes alternately ,ai ound'opposite sides oi adjacent tube wells 42 crossing'fbelneath the passage 39 between each well.

Means in the form of slide blocks 43 ior locking the' ringsZE and 28 for rotation together are arranged in recessed slidev'lays 49 in the surfaces 33' and 38.- Each block 48 (see Figures 3 and 5) is provided vfith'lorigitudinal grooves 5!) ,at ropposite edges for engaging ribsbi form ed within .therecess 49 and carries a cam roll 5?. running in the cam groove 45. It will be noted in Figure 3 that when the tubes I I are at their extreme inner and outer positions, the blocks 48 are in engage-' ment with both ring members which looks them against relative movement.

Each tube ll forms a part of a carrier unit which moves radially of the rings 25 and 2B in response to relative movement of the cam 45. Each unit comprises a slide block 55 on which the tubes l I are supported and which are slidably received in slideways 56 formed in the surfaces 33 and 38. Retainer strips 51 are provided on either side of the slideway for maintaining the unit in upright position. A cam roll 58 on the underside of each block 55 is engaged by the cam 45 to move the block and tube radially in and out in the slideway a sufficient distance to place the block when at the end of each movement, entirely within the limits of either the inner or outer rings and thus leave the passage 39 free and open. A stripping guide 50 on each block 55 is arranged so that an eye formed thereon lies substantially over the center of the tube and guides the strand during the braiding operation. Similar guides 6| are arranged adjacent the wells 42 and extend upwardly through the passage 35 for guiding the strands from the tubes Ila.

The driving mechanism for the turret (Figure 2) includes a motor 55 having a bevel pinion 66 thereon meshing with a ring gear 61 secured to the hub 35 of the outer ring 26. Bearings 68 carry the weight of the turret and are supported on a flange 69 formed on the column I2. Antifriction thrust bearings I between the rings 25 and 26 and between the rings 21 and 26 permit readily moving the ring 21 independently of the rings 25 and 26.

Movement of the intermediate ring in adirection counter to that of the inner and outer rings is accomplished by means of pinions I3 journalled on the column I2 (see Figures 3 and 4) engaging upper and lower ring gears I4 secured respectively within recesses formed in the hubs 40 and 35. Thus it will be noted, rotation of the outer ring member 26 by the motor 65 drives the inner ring 25 through the block connection 48 and through the lower ring gear I4 drives the pinion I3. Rotation of the pinion I3 in mesh with the upper ring gear I4 transmits motion to the intermediate ring in the reverse direction.

As previously mentioned the worm gear and pinion 2| is driven by means of a bevel pinion It in mesh with the ring gear 61 and carried on a shaft 1! which also carries the worm 2 I. A hand wheel I8 may be provided for manually indexing the turret to facilitate setting the filled tubes I I and Ila in place. The tubes Ila are placed in the wells 42 through openings 19 in the upper surfaces 33 and 38 of the inner and outer rings. The openings I9 are arranged between the recesses 56.

The mechanism just described is adapted for production of materials for various uses including hollow sleeving or tubing or for braiding strands of yarn over a core. Such core material may be wire for electrical uses or cords or strands of either organic or inorganic fibrous material. In operation strands from each of the tubes II and Ila are gathered and drawn together over the center of the turret. They may be attached to a leader passing over the bull wheel l which serves as a take-up as well as a tensioning device for regulating the angle at which the strands are laid. This also governs the spacing of the -ment of the strands.

strands whether a tight or loose weave is desired.

As the turret is rotated, the tubes II moving in one direction tend to wrap the strands drawn therefrom around a point which lies axially of the turret. An equal number of strands carried by the ring 21 are moved in the opposite direction. By reason of the cam 45 carried by the ring 21 and the cam rolls 58 on the blocks 55, the tubes II are caused to move longitudinally of the recesses 56. The shape of the cam is such that each tube I I is moved in alternation with the passage of one of the tubes Ila. The tubes Ila thus moving in a circular path with alternate tubes II arranged at either side of the path, produces an over and under arrange- Thus each strand serves to lock each adjacent strand in place.

It will be apparent that apparatus of the present type may be constructed to accommodate any number of tubes desired. Also a battery of such machines may be so aligned to continuously apply a plurality of braids over a single core member.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be eiiected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A braiding machine comprising a base member having a supporting column thereon, a turret mounted on said column for rotation about a vertical axis, said turret comprising inner and outer ring members together providing an upwardly facing surface having a continuous annular slot therein, slide members intermittently locking said rings for rotation together, a cam roll carried thereby, strand supply tube carriers on said surfaces mounted for radial slidin movement from one ring to the other across said slot, a cam roll on each carrier, an intermediate ring member mounted between said inner and outer rings, means responsive to rotation of said inner and outer rings for moving the intermediate ring in the opposite direction, a cam formed on said intermediate ring and engaging said cam rolls, strand supply tubes carried by said intermediate ring and arranged beneath said slot for movement in a circular path, strand stripping guides associated with each supply tube, and means for rotating said turret whereby relative movement of said intermediate ring and cam produces radial movement of said ring locks and said first named tube carriers alternately with the passage of each said second named supply tube therebeneath.

2. In braiding machine for weaving tubular sleeving including a rotatble turret, a stationary column supporting said turret, said turret comprising inner and outer spaced ring members and an intermediate ring like member positioned therebelow, each ring like member having a hub portion supported by the hub portion next below, means interconnecting the hub portion of said inner and outer ring members for rotation together in one direction, means operatively engaging said intermediate hub and one of said adjacent ring hubs driving said intermediate hub in the opposite direction, strand carrying supply tubes mounted on said intermediate rin member for rotation therewith in a circular path, a second set of strand carrying supply tubes mounted on said inner and outer ring members and moveable therewith, means responsive to the rotation of said turret for moving said second set of tubes radially of the turret whereby said tubes cross and recross the path of said first mentioned tubes, and guide members for each strand carrying tube guiding the strands to the element to i be covered.

3. A braiding machine for weaving tubular sleeving as claimed in claim 2 in which the means operatively engaging said intermediate hub and one of said adjacent ring hubs includes hub ring gears meshing with a pinion mounted on the stationary column, and anti-friction means be tween said hubs enabling free rotational movements of same in opposite directions.

4. A braiding machine for weaving tubular sleeving as claimed in claim 2 in which said inner and outer ring members have multiple radially aligned slots, and slide members reciprocable in said slots, one or more of which always interconnects said ,rings locking same for positive rotation together.

5. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 2 in which the adjacent peripheral edges portions of said inner and outer ring members have multiple semi-circular cut out portions, said semicircular sections being in alignment to form circular openings enabling replacement of the strand carrying supply tubes mounted on said lower intermediate ring member.

6. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 2 in which said inner and outer ring members have multiple radially aligned slots, slide members operable radially in some of said slots, one or more of which always interconnects said rings locking same for positive rotation together, and slide blocks operable radially in others of said slots and mounting said second set of supply tubes whereby said tubes cross and re-cross said first mentioned tubes during the rotational movement of said ring members.

7. In a braiding machine for weaving tubular sleeving, a rotatable turret, a support for the turret, means for rotating the turret on the support, said turret comprising concentrically mounted inner and outer spaced ring members interconnected for rotation in one direction together, an intermediate ring movable in the opposite direction upon rotation of said first named rings, strand carrying tubes mounted on said intermediate ring and movable therewith in a circular path, an undulating cam track on said intermediate ring, the apex of each undulation positioned in radial alignment with one of said strand carrying tubes, a second set of strand supply tubes mounted on said first named rings and movable therewith, mounting means for said second set of supply tubes including cam rolls operatively engaging said cam track, multiple radially aligned slots formed in said inner and outer ring members, guide blocks connected to said cam rolls and operating in said radial slots, said second set of strand supply tubes being mounted on said guide blocks thereby to move said tubes rotationally with said inner and outer ring members and successively back and forth across the path of travel of said first named tubes, and slide members operable in other of said radially aligned slots and guided by cam rolls intermittently locking said rings for rotation together.

CHARLES M. BELLG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 479,474 Struss July 26, 1892 682,387 Schurmann Sept. 17, 1901 549,026 Schurmann Oct. 29, 1895 1,642,785 McFarland Sept. 20, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 241,239 Great Britain Apr. 8, 1926 

